Bo_Nidle's skins repository.

[Bo_Nidle]

"Belligerent Bets", 325th Fighter Group, 319th Fighter Squadron, flown by Lt Col E.H. Beverly.

 

I have always liked the 325th "Checkertail Clan" schemes, but have been summoning up the courage to attempt the full checkerboard tail.

 

I am reasonably satisfied with the result but will be trying to modify its layout as it does not meet correctly under the fuselage, but it still looks neat enough to use at the moment.

 

My thanks to MysticPuma for his help in researching this aircraft, supplying a couple of cracking photos which cleared some detail points up very nicely.

 

Every illustration and painting of this aircraft always depicts it with a black pinstripe bordering the yellow nose band.
We have confirmed this as being incorrect and it was in fact red, as depicted here.

 

The research by MysticPuma also confirmed the aircraft carried a tricoloured band at the border of the tail colours, again something
I have never seen depicted anywhere.

 

There will be more 325th to follow. (I put too much time into that tail to do just one)

 

The latest version of this aircraft  (shown below) is now included in my multi-skin "325th Skin Pack 1".

Download here: https://www.mediafire.com/file/5jgyoahp3v4j3mj/325th+Skin+Pack+1.zip/file

 

Edited January 4, 2023 by Bo_Nidle

[Mysticpuma]

Very happy to help and the results are as always exceptional ???

 

Look forward to anything 325th you bring to the Sim, cheers, Mysticpuma 

[Bo_Nidle]

"Mary Mac" flown by Lt Gordon McDaniel of the 325th Fighter Groups 318th Fighter Squadron. 

 

This Mustang was flown by Lt Gordon McDaniel of the 325th Fighter Group 318th Fighter Squadron.

 

 It is depicted as it appeared after March 14th 1945, the day Lt McDaniel became an "Ace in a day" following a ferociousd dogfight over Hungary during which he shot dow FIVE Fw190's.

 

He survived the war with a total of 6 aerial victories.

 

You can learn more about Gordon McDaniel here: https://ace1945.com/

 

Thanks once again to MysticPuma for his help in researching this aircraft.

 

The latest version of this aircraft  (shown below) is now included in my multi-skin "325th Skin Pack 1".

Download here: https://www.mediafire.com/file/5jgyoahp3v4j3mj/325th+Skin+Pack+1.zip/file

 

 

 

Edited January 4, 2023 by Bo_Nidle

[Psyrion]

Beautiful stuff @Bo_Nidle, thanks!

[kendo]

Just discovered this thread and your skins (how did I miss it before?!) and have now downloaded almost everything.

 

Just want to echo everyone else's comments - these are absolutely awesome skins.

 

Many thanks for your work.

 

Edited March 29, 2020 by kendo

[Heliopause]

I want to take her to heaven and back!

[Bo_Nidle]

Thanks chaps.

 

Hope to have some more up soon.

Edited March 30, 2020 by Bo_Nidle

[Solo-]

Lockonfiles is closed so can't access skins.

[Bo_Nidle]

I have just become aware of the sad demise of LockOnfiles so I will be uploading my skins to Mediafire soon and will update all the links.

 

Thanks.

 

P.S Solo- I have replied to your search request for "Happy Jacks Go Buggy" in the other thread but the link is now updated here.

[Rjel]

Welcome back Bo.

[Bo_Nidle]

Thanks Rjel, I hope to have some new stuff up soon.

 

All the download links have been updated and should work. If anyone has any issues please let me know.

 

Bo.

[Bo_Nidle]

"Tiger's Revenge" 355th Fighter Group, 357th Fighter Squadron.

 

Flown by Lt William S. "Tiger" Lyons, he named it after his cousin was killed in action flying P-47's with the 9th Air Force.

 

I did this skin as a request earlier in the year but never got around to generally releasing it.

 

I have updated it by trying it on a new metal finish I am tinkering with.

 

Art was scratchbuilt by me. Kills on the skin are unedited.

 

https://www.mediafire.com/file/y2y9pb4np6tfsv6/355thFG_Tigers_Revenge.zip/file

 

 

Edited November 7, 2021 by Bo_Nidle

[imanuthep]

Greatto have you back and your great P51... hope you'll make some more (from the same squadron too)

[Bo_Nidle]

"Thunder Bird" 4thFg, 335thFS, 8th USAAF.

 

Flown by Capt Ted E. Lines, depicted as it appeared in November 1944.

 

Lines was credited with 10 aerial kills officially with a further three aerial kills and one strafing kill that

he was credited with in squadron records but never officially recognised for.

 

Lines was a native of Mesa, Arizona and decorated his aircraft in Native American style to reflect his

Arizona heritage.

 

He named all his Mustangs "Thunder Bird" after the creature of Native American mythology.

 

All artwork scratchbuilt by me. (Swastika kills edited for forum image)

 

 Download: https://www.mediafire.com/file/uyrfpngyqk6jca2/4thFG_335thFS_Thunder_Bird.zip/file

[Mysticpuma]

Great to have you back, excellent work

[Bo_Nidle]

This P-51D-5 Mustang was flown by 1st LT William Y. Anderson during his tour with the 353rd Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group, 9th USAAF.
 It is depicted as it appeared at Criqueville (A2) in France during the August of 1944.

Anderson named all of his Mustangs "Swede's Steed" in honour of his country of birth. This was his final Mustang in the ETO and he used it to claim the
last three of his seven aerial victories.

The eighth kill denotes a V-1 flying bomb that he shot down on the 17th June 1944, this was the 354th Fighter Groups first V-1.

 

I could not find out the crew names so only the pilots name appears on the white panel on the nose.

 

I think I will be using this metal finish from now on.

 

Download: https://www.mediafire.com/file/gfiubludyojuykl/354thFG_Swedes_Steed_III.zip/file

 

 

 

 

Edited November 21, 2021 by Bo_Nidle

[Mysticpuma]

2 hours ago, Bo_Nidle said:

This P-51D-5 Mustang was flown by 1st LT William Y. Anderson during his tour with the 353rd Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group, 9th USAAF.
 It is depicted as it appeared at Criqueville (A2) in France during the August of 1944.

Anderson named all of his Mustangs "Swede's Steed" in honour of his country of birth. This was his final Mustang in the ETO and he used it to claim the
last three of his seven aerial victories.

The eighth kill denotes a V-1 flying bomb that he shot down on the 17th June 1944, this was the 354th Fighter Groups first V-1.

 

I could not find out the crew names so only the pilots name appears on the white panel on the nose.

 

I think I will be using this metal finish from now on.

 

Download: https://www.mediafire.com/file/gfiubludyojuykl/354thFG_Swedes_Steed_III.zip/file

 

 

 

 

That's an exceptional metallic finish... Well done! 

[Bo_Nidle]

I thought I might pop over to the PTO/CBI for a change of pace.

 

I have wanted to do Medal of Honor winner Major William A Shomo's "The Flying Undertaker / Snook's 6th" for a long time but never seemed to get around to it.

 

Although this was not the aircraft he used in the action on the 11th January 1945 in which he shot down 6 x Ki61Tony's and a Betty, which won him the award , it is an interesting scheme, especially as the F-6D he used in that action was undecorated but for its name "Snook's 5th". That aircraft was damaged by debris from an exploding Tony which is why he ended up with this aircraft.

 

There is some debate as to whether or not this Mustang had yellow borders to the black fuselage stripes, or if this belief is down to misinterpreting
the black and white period photos that exist of it.

I have relied mainly on the Osprey book "Mustang and Thunderbolt Aces of the Pacific and CBI" ("Aircraft of the Aces . 26) by John Stanaway.
It has 4 good quality photos of "The Flying Undertaker" (pages 39, 41, 42). (It also has good colour illustration but I always approach these with the

same amount of caution as I do decal manufacturers and model kits).

On two of the photos it would appear that there is no yellow border applied.

However the photo on page 41 is a closeup of Shomo in the cockpit and there is a definite different coloured border to the black stripes which
is the same shade as the diagonal yellow stripes on the side of the cockpit, so I am satisfied that there was a yellow border applied at some point.

 

 Download: https://www.mediafire.com/file/n6i0cjfvwem4iud/71stTRG_The_Flying_Undertaker.zip/file

Edited November 26, 2021 by Bo_Nidle

[Bo_Nidle]

"Flying Dutchman" flown by 11 kill ace Robert "Bob" Goebel of the 308thFS, 31st Fighter Group, 15thAF, in Italy, 1944.

 

Unusually for such a famous Mustang I found it impossible to locate a period photo showing the entire aircraft. The only photos I could find showed
the cockpit and nose areas, which was good for the art but left the stripe design on the horizontal and vertical tail down to guess work and compromise.

The 31st used several different variations of the stripes, especially on the horizontal surfaces, so I had to rely on the airshow warbird and several different
decal manufacturers (all contradicting each other!) for reference....which is never good for accuracy, so if I have made errors here, then that's why.

 

I have placed the name on the port side only, as my references on the 31stFG showed few, if any aircraft, as having the same art on both sides.

 

P.s. Lining the stripes up was a nightmare! It made the 325th's check pattern a doddle by comparison.

 

***EDIT: Since intially uploading I found an error on the skin in the form of a broken black line beneath the code on the port side. I have removed this and altered the metal finish slightly.***

 

Download the latest version here: https://www.mediafire.com/file/fflcb7bkh4o7arh/31stFG+Flying+Dutchman+1.1.zip/file

 

 

 

 

Edited December 28, 2021 by Bo_Nidle

[Bo_Nidle]

A quintet ( that means "five" for the benefit of you lot) of P-47's:

 

First off is "Evie" of the 510thFS, 405thFG, 9th USAAF flown by Lt George Orange.

 

I did this one for no other reason that it has the same name as my 3 year old granddaughter..yes...I'm THAT old!

 

Download: https://www.mediafire.com/file/ezqmm5hmmcrl6gk/405thFG+Evie.zip/file

 

 

 

 

"Flak Happy": P-47D-28 was flown by Lt H. L. Sumner as part of the 345th Fighter Squadron, 350th Fighter Group.
It is depicted as it looked when operating from Pisa in Italy in the April of 1945.

 

(If anyone knows the story behind the olive drab panels under the fuselage please let me know.)

 

Download: https://www.mediafire.com/file/gm5jg7ww6lxxbav/350thFG_345thFS_Flak_Happy.zip/file

 

 

 

 

"Jeeter": This P-47D-23 was flown by Lt Col. William "Jeeter" Yates. Yates was deputy C.O. of the 57th Fighter Group.
It is depicted as it would have appeared in December of 1944 operating out of Grosseto, Italy.

 

Download: https://www.mediafire.com/file/ws75071zgx9gt59/57thFG_Jeeter.zip/file

 

 

 

 

"Janie": This P-47D-23 was flown by Lt Donald "Pat" Patteson as part of the 316th Fighter Squadron, 324th Fighter Group.
It is depicted as it looked when operating from Dole-Tavaux, France, in January 1945.

 

Download: https://www.mediafire.com/file/0szosu11ldbba34/324thFG_316thFS_Janie.zip/file

 

 

 

 

"Viv's Baby Shoes": This P-47D-23 was flown by Lt Bill Goslin as part of the 527th Fighter Squadron, 86th Fighter Group.
It is depicted as it looked when operating from Corsica, September 1944.

 

Download: https://www.mediafire.com/file/hdy0vgs0sclk9o1/86thFG_527thFS_Viv%27s_Baby_Shoes.zip/file

 

 

Edited December 29, 2021 by Bo_Nidle

[Rjel]

"A quintet ( that means "five" for the benefit of you lot) of P-47's:"

 

Smart aleck.

[Bo_Nidle]

?

1 hour ago, Rjel said:

"A quintet ( that means "five" for the benefit of you lot) of P-47's:"

 

Smart aleck.

 

1 hour ago, Rjel said:

 

 

 

 

[Bo_Nidle]

My first Razorback: "Bald Eagle" of the 374th Fighter Squadron, 361st Fighter Group, flown by Lt Robert Eckfeldt.

 

Not sure the crew names are correct but I went with the info I could find.

 

I always liked this scheme and based it on the period photos I found rather than decal manufacturers and illustrations.

 

Swastikas censored for the forum screenshots only.

 

Download: https://www.mediafire.com/file/lbv1yt7b6e10las/361stFG_374thFS_Bald_Eagle.zip/file

 

 

[Hoss]

Nice one Bo, keep em coming. A 352nd FG, 328th FS, PE-H would be fantastic. I've  seen a photo of the original but couldn't tell you the name.

Edited January 27, 2022 by 352nd_Hoss

[Bo_Nidle]

19 minutes ago, 352nd_Hoss said:

Nice one Bo, keep em coming. A 352nd FG, 328th FS, PE-H would be fantastic. I've  seen a photo of the original but couldn't tell you the name.

Thanks,

 

According to my research PE*H would be "Dallas Darling".

[Hoss]

That's it.............. in my case it's Willie the Wolf..... in the D model

 

Can't remember if Preddy ever had a B model in the 328th with PE-P

Can you tell who did this skin?

he's another Brit!.................  and a good m8..... and LFC supporter...

 

Edited January 28, 2022 by 352nd_Hoss

[Frequent_Flyer]

Bo,

Your work is outstanding !!!  Please keep it up.

[Bo_Nidle]

Thanks for the kind words chaps.

 

Here's a couple I have been working on this week, both named "Berlin Express" and flown by William "Bill" Overstreet of the 363rd Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group.

 

The first is a P-51C that Overstreet used to chase down a Bf109 at rooftop height over Paris in the spring of 1944. The pilot of the Bf109 tried to evade Overstreet by flying throught the arches of the Eifel Tower. It didn't work, as Overstreet followed him through and shot him down!

 

After this aircraft was written off in July 1944, during a takeoff accident whilst being flown by another pilot, Overstreet was assigned a Malcolm Hood fitted P-51B that had previously been Clarence "Bud" Anderson's "Old Crow". This also had artwork on the port side in the form of a highly stylised "winged Mustang"....which I thought was a dragon when I was building it! There are many contradictory sources with regards to the arts colouring (once again) but I based my efforts on a photo on a Pyn-Up decals illustration.

 

Hope you like them.

 

P-51C "Berlin Express" June 1944 download: https://www.mediafire.com/file/he46ngkd7rkij7v/357thFG_363rdFS_Berlin_Express_June_1944.zip/file

 

P-51B "Berlin Express" August 1944: https://www.mediafire.com/file/8erjrjmiyet8ifk/357thFG_363rdFS_Berlin_Express_Aug_1944.zip/file

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 7, 2022 by Bo_Nidle

[Bo_Nidle]

Now I know that there is a "Shangri-La" already included with the Battle of Normandy P-51B, but I am a fan of the Mustang, especially the Razorback version and especially especially "Shangri-La" flown by Captain Dominic "Don" Gentile of the 336th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group......so I was definitely going to do my version(s) regardless.

I have done two versions. The first is how "Shangri-La " appeared in March of 1944. Gentile had achieved a celebrity status in that he was the first WW2 American ace to exceed the tally total of famous American ace from WW1: Eddie Rickenbacker. The press visited Debden for the story and Gentile had many photos taken of him next to "Shangri-La".

At this time the 4th were in the process of overpainting the white noses of their Mustangs in what would become their trademark red. At the time of the March photos the painting of the nose of "Shangri-La" had only been partially completed, hence the red and white spinner with the crude demarcation between the two colours. The victories banner below the cockpit reflected Gentilies victories up to that time and the wheels were painted red. I have attempted to recreate this as accurately as I can.

Download: https://www.mediafire.com/file/gwz506wdw7eixi7/4thFg_336thFS_Shangril-La_March_1944.zip/file

The second version depicts "Shangri-La" on its final mission with a fully painted nose and spinner and the victories banner extended to show Gentiles full tally.

The real "Shangri-La" met a somewhat ignominious end when, on April 8th 1944, Gentile returned to Debden from the final mission of his tour with the press waiting on the airfield to record the event, Gentile decided to "showboat" and buzzed the field. This was in direct contradiction to the standing order of the C.O. of the 4thFG, the legendary Col Don Blakeslee.

On Gentile's second pass he apparently forgot that there was a rise in the terrain in the middle of the airfield and struck the ground, bellied in and tore "Shangi-La" in half behind the cockpit. Blakeslee, not a man to be trifled with, let alone have his orders ignored, grounded Gentile immediately. Legend has it that he could be heard tearing a strip off Gentile in his office from the other side of the airfield. What we British call a "colossal bollocking".

However Gentile still returned to the USA as a celebrity and conducted tours around the country promoting war bonds in a new P-51D, also named "Shangri-La". (Which may be forthcoming if I can get the bloody checks to line up!)

Sadly Dominic "Don" Gentile was killed in a flying accident in 1951 whilst at the controls of the new T-33 jet.

Download: https://www.mediafire.com/file/nhi92rmtaj9371u/4thFG_336thFS_Shangri-La_April_1944.zip/file

I will also be uploading these to the HSD.

 

 

[EAF19_Marsh]

These are incredible! Will d/l a clutch today ?

[Bo_Nidle]

What Ho Chaps!

 

Sorry for being a bit MIA but I haven't been totally idle. As proof heres a small herd of Checkertail Ponies from the 325th Fighter group in one skin pack.

I'm calling it skin pack 1 as I intend to do more from this Group soon.

 

Two of these are upgrades: "Belligerent Bets" and "Mary Mac".

 

I have done two versions of "Helen" as photos show it with red wingtips and later on with yellow wingtips. (I have now realised that I have misinterpreted the yellow MTO stripes at the wingtip as being a completely yellow wing tip. These MTO stripes were removed when the outer wingtip was later painted red. I will be amending this skin on a future update of the pack.)

 

Okay, this skin pack is back up but minus the B model "Dorothy II" which is going to be in the second pack which will be all Razorbacks.

See post below for more details.

 

(I have also done a slightly smaller pack from the 31st and 52nd Fighter groups to be released soon).

 

Lets all hope that 2023 is better than 2022.....which should not be very difficult considering how low the bar has been set.

 

A happy and safe New Year to you all.

Edited February 5, 2023 by Bo_Nidle

[FlyingH]

@Bo_Nidle, I see you made the "Swedes Steed  III", would it be possible for you to make the no "I" and "II", if I´m not way off I think the "I" was a P 39 and the "II" was a P51B or C. Sadly I have no pics of either of them but I do belive the P 51 was olive drab camo as well as the P 39. The pilot is a far relative to my family, osmewhere 5th or 6th cousin I think.

[Bo_Nidle]

2 hours ago, FlyingH said:

@Bo_Nidle, I see you made the "Swedes Steed  III", would it be possible for you to make the no "I" and "II", if I´m not way off I think the "I" was a P 39 and the "II" was a P51B or C. Sadly I have no pics of either of them but I do belive the P 51 was olive drab camo as well as the P 39. The pilot is a far relative to my family, osmewhere 5th or 6th cousin I think.

Hello Flying H,

 

I already have the research material for "Swedes Steed II" so I'll see what I can do.

I'll also update "Swedes Steed III".

 

Bo.

Edited January 1, 2023 by Bo_Nidle

[Ptolemy_Soter]

Happy New Year Bo !

 

Here a two little things to improve your P-51 D skins:

 

_ Cowling air vents are incorrectly proportioned on the D model. It was corrected on the B shortly after release.

_ There is a problem with the alpha channel around exhaust pipes fairings. You can see the sky through them.

 

B model should be used as a reference.

 

Wish you the best for 2023 !

 

 

 

[Bo_Nidle]

Damn. I thought I'd got that transparency issue sorted out.

 

I am aware of the vent holes issue but have had to move them to match the depressions on the "normal map" on the D model.  If they are moved to match the B the whole area looks untidy. Hopefully they will fix this soon.

 

But thanks for the pick-ups.

 

Happy New Year,

 

Bo.

[Bo_Nidle]

Okay, just revisted it and discovered that I had inadvertantly acivated an experimental layer that had been intended to try and make shroudless exhausts like you can do in the B model.

 

It doesn't work the same on the D and I hadn't noticed I'd turned it on.

 

I am now rectifying about 20 skins and deactivating the 325th skin pack 1 ! .....Bugger.

 

Sorry chaps

 

Bo

 

 

[Ptolemy_Soter]

Thanks a lot Bo !!

[Bo_Nidle]

325th Fighter Group Skin pack (V2)

 

As stated above, this pack now contains D models only, with Razorbacks coming in the second pack....at some point.

 

I have fixed the transparency error and adjusted the shade of the red nose which I thought looked too dark and too matt. I have also tweaked the metal finish slightly. (19 years skinning for the IL2 series and the quest for a satisfactory metal finish continues!?)

 

(On the second version of "Helen" I have now realised that I have misinterpreted a period of her. I thought the yellow MTO stripes at the wingtip was a completely yellow wing tip. These MTO stripes were removed when the outer wingtip was later painted red. I will be amending this skin on a future update of the pack.)

 

Download here: https://www.mediafire.com/file/5jgyoahp3v4j3mj/325th+Skin+Pack+1.zip/file

Edited February 5, 2023 by Bo_Nidle

[Heliopause]

Hi Bo, nice to see your familiar face (and work) again.

[Leftenant_Soap]

Happy New Year Bo, and thank you for these mighty sharp-looking skins!

I have my fingers crossed "Tempus Fugit" may be in the 31st pack! ?